Searching For Hope

Chapter Two

I wake up to my favorite song, Lilies By Eudora. "Fields, pots," I sing at the top of my lungs.

When the breakdancing part goes on, I lose it. I start dancing like there's no tomorrow. Dad opens the door and looks at me all weird, "Er...Hey, breakfast is almost ready so go get cleaned up...are you OK? You definitely do not look...normal." he questions.

I freeze and answer, " Yeah, I'm good! Just jammin' out!" and resume dancing.

I dance my way to the bathroom and wash my face. I brush my teeth while singing but it is hurting my mouth. I put on clothes to replace my Pj's and meet my siblings at the top of the stairs. We have a tradition called 'The Morning Race.' It's where my siblings and I race to the bottom of the stairs and see who wins. Whoever wins gets $1 from both losers. It was super fun and very funny because sometimes Dad and Mom race too! Lola, Derek and I are lined up at the top. Derek starts the countdown, "Three...two...one...GO!"

We shoot down the stairs like we are cheetahs chasing a gazelle.

When I reach the middle, I fall flat on my bottom. I actually use this as an advantage and slide down like it's a slide. I am right next to Lola. "YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WIN THIS TIME!!" she screeches.

"REALITY SAYS I'M GONNA WIN!" I reply.

I start going faster and I crash into Derek, we hit our heads with a "BONK" and we both start laughing. "HEY! NO FAIR!!" he laughs and whines.

I am about 3/4 of the way to the bottom of the stairs and I begin to think only of the prize. When I reached the bottom of the stairs I scream with victory, "I WON!! I WON!! HAHAHAHA!!!!"

"YOU CHEATED!" Lola and Derek exclaim at the same time.

"HAHA, I DID NOT!" I argue with a smile on my face.

Derek comes barreling at me with Lola right behind. Before they touch me, we then begin to process the smell of breakfast. Our mouths began to water. We run to the table and sit down. "Ahh, the smell of pancakes, eggs, and biscuits! Heaven!" I say. Mom sets down our plates as we eat like pigs. We completely devour that meal!

"Slow down, you're gonna choke!" Dad reminds us.

"Hey! Mom's eating faster than all of us combined!" I retort, and Mom shoots a glare that says, 'Don't disturb me, I'm eating.'

We finish up breakfast and turn on the T.V. to just lay back and relax. I keep thinking about my Mama. Is she ever going to go back to work? She was injured in a car accident a few months after Daddy left and has not completely healed yet. Her back always hurts but she never complains. Dad always said that she is a strong woman. I agree. Mom took care of 3 kids by herself for three years. I will always look up to her.

I end up falling asleep on our leather couch. I dream that my whole family was at Disney World and we rode a huge rollercoaster.

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I wake up to the smell of smoke. I hear Dad yelling for everybody to get out. He is holding Mama on his back because she was unconscious. "What's going on?" I question with a lump in my throat.

"GET OUT! THERE IS NO TIME TO EXPLAIN!!! TAKE YOUR BROTHER AND GO!!" Dad screams to me and a half-awake Lola.

I grab Derek with Lola, Mom, and Dad right behind me. We step a few yards back and just watch in complete pain. My house, our house was being destroyed. I hear barks and whimpers and I scream in horror. "LOLLYPOP! WE FORGOT HER!!!